e, and we'll have to dig
out three or four of the large stones and then dig a sort of trench to
wherever the puppies are," and Rudolph was able of course to indicate
the exact spot to which the trench must lead. It was the work of an hour
to excavate the foundation-stones, and an additional half-hour to dig
the trench. Meantime Betsy appeared upon the scene, and, evidently
appreciating what was going on, stood about and superintended matters
with quite an important air. Rudolph clambered in and dug the last few
feet of the trench, because it did not need to be as large for him
as for Joseph and Patrick, and then one at a time he brought the dear
little puppies out, and Mabel and Tattine took turns in appropriating
them, while Betsy eyed them proudly but withal a little anxiously.
And they were dear; as prettily marked as their beautiful grandmother
Tadjie, and too cunning for words.

"You have made us a great deal of trouble, Betsy," said Tattine, "but
they are such beauties we forgive you," whereat Betsy looked up so
affectionately that Tattine added, "and perhaps some day I'll forgive
you about that rabbit, since Mamma says it's natural for you to hunt
them." But Betsy, indifferent creature, did not care a fig about all
that; her only care was to watch her little puppies stowed away one by
one on fresh sweet-smelling straw, in the same kennel where Doctor
and his brothers and sisters had enjoyed their puppy-hood, and then to
snuggle up in a round ball close beside them. They were Betsy's puppies
for a certainty. There had been no doubt of that from the first glimpse
Rudolph gained of them in their dark little hole under the porch. But
the next morning came and then what do you suppose happened? A very weak
little puppy cry came from under the porch. Another puppy, that was what
it meant, and Joseph was very much out of patience, for the trench had
been filled up and the foundation-stones carefully replaced.

"Rudolph ought to have made sure how many there were," he said rather
growlily.

"But, Joseph, this puppy cry comes from another place way over here, it
seems to me," and Tattine ran to a spot on the porch several yards from
that under which the others had been found. "I believe it must have been
a cleverer little puppy than the others, and crawled away by itself to
see what the world was like, and that is why Rudolph missed finding it."

Joseph put his hand to his ear and, listening carefully, concluded that